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Texas Burn Injury Law in Brief Find Your Local Burn Injury Lawyer Burn Centers Across Texas Texas Laws Behind Every Burn Claim Damages in a Texas Burn Case Why Burn Victims Choose The Law Giant Frequently Asked QuestionsTexas Burn Injury Law in Brief
If someone else’s carelessness, a defective product or an unsafe workplace caused your burn in Texas, you may be able to recover your medical costs, lost income, pain and disfigurement. The same state laws apply whether you were hurt in Houston or Harlingen, but the facts that win a case are often local.
- You usually have two years to file a lawsuit. The clock is paused while a burned child is under 18.
- You can recover even if you were partly at fault. Your share must be 50% or less, and your award shrinks by that share.
- Texas employers can choose to skip workers’ comp. If yours did, you can sue it directly, and it loses key defenses.
- Product claims have an outer limit. Most must be filed within 15 years after the product was sold.
- Only six Texas burn centers are ABA-verified. Many burn patients are treated far from home, and those costs count.
Find Your Local Burn Injury Lawyer
Every Texas city has its own risks, hospitals and courts. Our local burn injury pages explain what matters where you live:
- Dallas burn injury lawyer: natural gas explosions, apartment fires, Parkland’s burn center and hospital liens
- Houston burn injury lawyer: chemical plant explosions, refinery fires and claims by plant contractors
- Austin burn injury lawyer: Austin Energy claims, the City’s 45-day notice rule and e-bike battery fires
- San Antonio burn injury lawyer: burn claims in Bexar County, home to the Army’s verified burn center
- Laredo burn injury lawyer: I-35 truck and hazmat fires and Eagle Ford oilfield flash fires
- McAllen burn injury lawyer: ammonia burns at produce cold storage plants and air ambulance bills
- Harlingen burn injury lawyer: fireworks injuries, propane fires and highway vehicle fires
- Brownsville burn injury lawyer: burn claims across Cameron County and the lower Rio Grande Valley
Not near one of these cities? We take burn cases across Texas. Start with our Texas personal injury attorneys.
Burn Centers Across Texas
The American Burn Association verifies burn centers that meet its standards for care. Its directory lists 13 burn centers in Texas, and six of them are verified:
| Burn center | City | ABA status |
|---|---|---|
| Blocker Burn Unit | Galveston | Verified |
| Shriners Hospitals for Children – Texas | Galveston | Verified |
| Parkland Burn Center | Dallas | Verified |
| Burn and Reconstructive Center at Medical City Plano | Plano | Verified |
| USAISR Burn Center | San Antonio | Verified |
| Timothy J. Harnar Burn Center | Lubbock | Verified |
| John S. Dunn Burn Center | Houston | Listed burn center |
| Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas | Austin | Listed burn center |
| University Health System | San Antonio | Listed burn center |
| Burn and Reconstructive Center at Methodist Hospital and Methodist Children’s Hospital | San Antonio | Listed burn center |
| The Burn Center at Methodist Dallas Medical Center | Dallas | Listed burn center |
| Texas Health Fort Worth | Fort Worth | Listed burn center |
| University Medical Center of El Paso | El Paso | Listed burn center |
Keep reading
Source: American Burn Association Find a Burn Center directory, November 2026. Status can change, so check the directory for the latest list.
Large parts of Texas, including the Rio Grande Valley, Laredo and much of West Texas, have no burn center close by. Patients are often flown or driven hundreds of miles. When someone else caused the burn, the cost of that transfer, family travel and lodging can be part of the claim.
Texas Laws Behind Every Burn Claim
Filing Deadlines
Most injury and wrongful death suits must be filed within two years under Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003. If the injured person is under 18, § 16.001 pauses that clock until they turn 18. Claims against government bodies can require written notice within six months, or sooner under a city charter.
Shared Fault
Texas uses proportionate responsibility. You cannot recover if you were more than 50% responsible under § 33.001. If your share is 50% or less, your damages are reduced by that percentage.
Keep reading
Defective Products
Many burns come from products that fail, such as batteries, heaters, gas valves and fuel systems. Under § 16.012, a product claim against a maker or seller generally must be filed within 15 years of the product’s sale, in addition to the two-year deadline.
Workers’ Comp Is Optional
Under Labor Code § 406.002, most private Texas employers can choose whether to carry workers’ comp, and they must tell employees which they chose under § 406.005. If your employer opted out, you can sue it, and under § 406.033 it cannot blame your own negligence or a coworker’s. The Texas Department of Insurance explains how to check an employer’s coverage. Learn more in our guide to whether workers’ comp is required in Texas.
Damages in a Texas Burn Case
Burns are often catastrophic injuries, with costs that continue for years. A Texas burn claim can include:
- Economic damages: hospital and burn center bills, future surgeries, therapy, home care, lost wages and lost earning ability
- Noneconomic damages: physical pain, mental anguish, disfigurement, physical impairment and loss of enjoyment of life
- Exemplary damages: punishment for fraud, malice or gross negligence, proven by clear and convincing evidence under § 41.003
Texas generally does not cap pain and suffering in burn cases. It does cap exemplary damages under § 41.008 at the greater of $200,000, or two times economic damages plus up to $750,000 of noneconomic damages, with exceptions for certain crimes.
For a broader look at how burns happen and who they affect, see our Texas burn injury statistics and our article on what makes an injury catastrophic.
Why Burn Victims Choose The Law Giant
The Law Giant has offices across Texas, including Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Laredo, McAllen, Harlingen and Brownsville. That lets us work your case close to where it happened while drawing on the experience of a statewide firm.
- We preserve evidence fast, from truck data and plant records to the burned product itself
- We work with fire cause experts, burn surgeons and life-care planners
- We gather records from every hospital and burn center that treated you
- We negotiate hospital and health plan liens so more money reaches you
- We prepare every case as if it will go to trial
There is no fee unless we win. Call 956-982-1800 to talk with a Texas burn injury lawyer today.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Texas Burn Injury Law FAQs
What is the average settlement for personal injury in Texas?
There is no reliable average, because settlements depend on the facts of each case. For burns, the biggest factors are how deep and widespread the burns are, whether grafts or future surgeries are needed, scarring, lost income, how clear the other side’s fault is, and how much insurance is available. A lawyer can estimate your claim’s value after reviewing your records.
How long does a child have to file a burn injury claim in Texas?
The two-year deadline usually does not start until the child turns 18, under § 16.001. Parents have their own claim for the child’s medical bills, which can follow a shorter timeline, so it is best not to wait.
Is there a cap on punitive damages in Texas?
Yes. Under § 41.008, punitive (exemplary) damages are generally limited to the greater of $200,000, or twice the economic damages plus noneconomic damages up to $750,000. The cap does not apply to certain intentional or knowing felonies listed in the statute.
How do I know if my employer has workers' comp in Texas?
Texas employers must tell new hires whether they carry workers’ comp and post a notice at work under Labor Code § 406.005. You can also check coverage through the Texas Department of Insurance. If your employer does not have coverage, you may be able to sue it directly for your burn.
Can I sue the maker of a product that caught fire?
Yes, if a defect in the design, manufacturing or warnings caused the fire. You generally must sue within two years of the injury and within 15 years of the product’s sale under § 16.012. Keep the product and its packaging, because experts will need to examine them.
AT THE LAW GIANT,
We Win Big!
A burn case in Texas is shaped by state law: how long you have to sue, how shared fault is handled, whether your employer carries workers’ comp, and how much a jury can award in punitive damages. Our lawyers apply those rules every day, and our city teams add the local knowledge that wins cases.
Call The Law Giant at 956-982-1800 or contact us online for a free case review. You pay nothing unless we win.
The Law Giant Stands With You
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